Its a nice day for a white wedding
by neolithicdreamer
Summary: A series of missing moments from Episode 7.20  the Wedding
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: It's a nice day for a White Wedding 1/?

AUTHOR: Neolithicdreamer

PAIRING: _Callie & Arizona_

RATING: _PG 13_

SUMMARY: My take on some missing scenes from Ep.7.20 before and during the wedding and maybe after. The title simply comes from the Billy Idol song!

DISCLAIMER: _I do not own Calzona or any of the characters mentioned in this fic. They are the property of Shonda Rhimes/ ABC etc... This fic is purely written for enjoyment and without intent or prospect of profit. No copyright infringement intended._

"We can cancel the wedding" Arizona whispered very quietly, as she held her distressed fiancée from behind, arms wrapped tightly around Calliopes waist, chin resting on her left shoulder as she placed comforting light kisses along her Latinas neck.

She had come home from the hospital, running very late, definitely late enough to throw "the Colonels" schedule for her last night as a single woman way off. Still if anyone would understand her tardiness it would be her fiancée; as surgeons they both understood that schedules could go awry. But it was not an emergency surgery that had caused her to be late; no rather it was her need to check on her" African patients". She smiled at the thought. Alex thought they were his patients but she knew they were here because of promises she had made, even if Alex had pulled off a minor ("race for chief resident inspired") miracle to get them here.

It should have only taken minutes but then she had sat with Sefu for more than ¾ of an hour on the floor outside Kondos room, listening to him talk about his brother his family, his love for them and his hopes and dreams. While in Malawi she had learned to love the concept of "Africa time" in contrast to the military precision of the timekeeping in the Robbins world. She still valued punctuality and reliability but she felt that her time in Malawi, short as it was, had improved her, made her more relaxed and less of a perfectionist and more flexible than before.

Still, no amount of exposure to "Africa time" was going to make her less likely to dash home in the current circumstances. Her parents and her soon to be in – laws were to meet for yet another "family meal" (this one at a restaurant without Mark, who was to be on babysitting duty). Then she was to stay with Mark that night (to keep up the old tradition that the wife and wife (a minor adjustment of the tradition) should not see each other the morning of the wedding while Callie stayed in their apartment with her parents. That was the plan but she was late.

Nothing however had prepared her for the scene that awaited her at home. Her Calliope was shell–shocked, a resigned desolation written all over her face. They were so attuned to each other these days that it only took the slightest glance at the other to be able to read the others mood especially when something was wrong. Still even the old Arizona, the self proclaimed "sometimes I don't get people" version would have recognised that something was very wrong.

"Callie, honey? Carlos? What's happened, oh God Sophia?"

"Your daughter is fine" Carlos quickly comforted. He couldn't help but smile, even now. "More than fine, she is perfect and asleep in her crib."

"Mama won't be coming to our wedding." Callie said, the defeat in her voice damn near shattering Arizona. She in turn was torn between wanting to take Callie in her arms and finding a very large brick to make contact with Lucia's face.

"She told me I would be going to hell and that I was not a bride and tomorrow was not a wedding because you're a woman."

All she could do was sit next to her love on the couch and listen as Callie and Carlos updated her. She stayed silent as nothing she could say would make a difference to how both her wife to be or Carlos felt right now. Indeed as sad as Callie seemed it paled in comparison to the devastation etched on the older man's face.

"Where is she now?" Arizona asked hoping she had managed to disguise the anger in her voice.

"Arizona, my dear, I am afraid not even one of your finest speeches would suffice right now. My wife is a stubborn woman."

So now they stood together in the middle of the room alone, not having moved since Carlos had said his goodbyes nearly 10 minutes earlier. It was the last thing that Arizona wanted but she offered again, louder this time "We can cancel tomorrow."

"No, we can't cancel,besides it's tomorrow even if we wanted to we can't"

"If we want to we can." Arizona swallowed hard almost choking on her next words "if _we want_ to then we should"

Callie turned to look at Arizona questioningly,with uncertainty now in her voice "Do _you_ want to cancel? Do you _not_ want to marry me tomorrow now?" Her mothers explicit rejection of both her choice of spouse and their daughter still so raw as to make her _almost _expect further rejection now.

"Calliope!" it came out somewhere between a whine and a plea "God,no!" And then much more gentle,so gentle Callie thought it felt like a spoken caress "I want so much to marry you tomorrow, today, everyday. You have already made me a..." and as always because even though Sophia was several months old it still felt so new Arizona swallowed more deeply than before and said reverently "a _mother_ and I can't wait till you make me a wife. It will be the joint happiest moment of my life_ (it was understood by both that the moment when Sophias heartbeat was first heard outside the womb might be matched but could never be surpassed). _But I want it to be the same for you too so if you want we can cancel. I just want you to be happy."

"No, I want to marry you tomorrow and just because my mothers a bigot who can't get over her own prejudice to love her daughter and her granddaughter doesn't change the way I feel about you."

So much to the Colonels chagrin his much vaunted schedule was discarded at least for the evening and both Sophia and Arizona stayed in with Callie. The wives to be held each other in a tight embrace after they had put their daughter down for what they hoped was more than a few hours.

"When my father disowned me it hurt so much but this hurts so much more. How can a mother reject her own baby,she gave birth to me how can you disown a child you carried inside you for...how can a mother give birth and..."Callie trailed off as she thought how Arizona might interpret her words "I don't mean that just because she carried me that shes a mother and..."

"Sshh honey I know,I know. And I can't ever imagine,no matter what she might do, rejecting Sophia either. But your Mom, she needs time and..."

"Don't defend her...she's had time, she's known about us for 2 years...about me...and its not just me she's rejecting, its you too and our daughter. You saw her, she never even held her once while your Mom is the perfect grandma."

Arizona stayed silent and hoped that her fiancée could feel all the love she had for her even though she knew it would not take away the hurt. There weren't enough bricks in Seattle and if there was a hell she was fairly sure it wouldn't be her Calliope going there but Lucia Torres. Not for the first time did she feel grateful for her own loving parents – they drove her to distraction but their love had and would always be unconditional.

Long after Calliope fell asleep Arizona lay awake. The last few days,long before Lucias departure, had been fraught with tension. It had made the movie "Meet the Parents" pale in comparison. There were lots of points of conflict - Mark and the Torres(especially ); Mark and her parents...well specifically her father; and her;Mrs Torres and Calliope; her Dad and herself;even a little between her mother and herself and of course the non appearance of Aria. Like never before she understood why people just upped and eloped. Like never before she understood why her beautiful woman, a traditional girl at heart, once found herself in a seedy wedding chapel in Vegas being married by Elvis(of the non flying kind).

Arizona sighed and then smiled as she heard the first tell tale signs emanating from the baby monitor. It was her turn so she gently eased herself out of bed and made her way to their daughter detouring only to grab a bottle.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Arizona thought, not for the first time, that this is what made everything worthwhile. No matter what was happening at work; no matter what undercurrents existed between various Robbins' and Torres' family members (or the odd Sloan); this here made it all not matter. Sophia. Their little girl. Her little girl. Her daughter. And it was these moments especially when it was the two of them alone that made her feel most like a mother. Tonight was a bonus. Tonight she should have been sleeping over at Marks and she would not now be here feeding her little girl, holding her close to her own heart, rocking her to sleep.

Sophia yawned again as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her gorgeous brown eyes which seemed so focused on her mother's face only minutes ago now closing involuntarily.

Sophie was all that mattered, well her and Calliope, of course. The mantra that had got her (them) through the months of Callie's pregnancy from their reunion through all the scans and tests and fights and petty bickering; through the caffeine withdrawal and broccoli shakes to the amniocentesis and the baby shower had been _'I love you and you love me and nothing else matters'._ That had now been changed to _'I love you and you love me and __**we love our Sophia**_ _and nothing else matters'._

And tomorrow, well later today she and her Calliope were going to be married. She was going to be Calliopes wife. In less than 18 hours she would be a wife; she would have a wife too.

Sophia stirred in her arms not yet fully asleep so Arizona had more time; time to ponder the events of the last few days and the last few years. Even if Sophia was ready to be placed back in her crib Arizona knew sleep would not come easily to her tonight.

She was too excited. For a woman who had never really fixated on getting married never mind having a wedding, she was ridiculously excited. Teenage girl excited, silly giggling teenage girl excited. And it made her think of when she _was_ a teenage girl coming out to someone for the first time ever, coming out to her teenage brother. Her brother, her best friend. Her best friend ever until Calliope. They would have loved each other, she was sure of that. Timothy would have given Callie his "if you hurt my sister, I'll come after you with a brick" speech. Ridiculous really because her Timothy was one of the gentlest men she had ever known even if he was also a marine. Her mother claimed he got that gentle side from Daniel which was even more ridiculous given that her Dad was a _tough as nails _marine Colonel. She knew too that Timothy would have told her that if she didn't watch out he would make a move on Callie himself. Not that he would have...even though she would have been his type...they always laughed at that...the way they fell for the same girls. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't think of him but with her wedding looming he was seldom far from her mind at all.

The last few days though had been exhausting. She would have liked to have taken a little time off to prepare, to be with Callie, just to stop and think. But she had work to do. In order to get a couple of days off for a brief honeymoon she had had to work every day for the previous two weeks. All her time off, all her vacation time had been used up in the aftermath of the accident. The chief had persuaded the board to give her three days compassionate leave but that was the best he could do. In reality he was her only ally on the board. It seemed snagging €20,000,000 dollars less than 2 years ago for the hospital had been forgotten. Winning one of the most prestigious medical grants in the world less than a year ago did not matter either. Certainly neither had helped when she had requested hospital funding for her African kids.

And so tomorrow (no, today...it was now well past midnight)she was working the early shift but fingers crossed that no surgeries went over long she would be back in her apartment with an hour or so to get herself ready and get herself to the Church on time. Yes she would be one bride who would not be _'traditionally late'_ - if she was her father would probably try to have her court – martialled.

The last few days had been more than exhausting,they had been tension filled for both of them. She had worried less about her own parents arrival than the Torres family. Callie on the other hand had been so nervous of meeting the Robbins face to face. For the first time...ever. She had spoken to them many times once they had gotten serious. There had been an 'almost' plan to visit the Robbins that first Christmas but then Callie was scheduled to work Christmas and she ended up working New Year so it just wasn't feasible. Then they planned to go for Easter but by then their relationship was on the rocks over babies. Arizona shook her head in self-disgust at the thought and unconsciously held Sophia just that wee bit closer. By Memorial Day they were reunited but neither wanted to move from their little pink self contained bubble. And then with Malawi and its aftermath and with Callie being pregnant and not wanting to fly she had never met Arizonas parents.

Daniel and Barbara had wanted to drop everything and fly to Seattle as soon as she had told them about the accident. They had been worried sick even before they heard as they knew something was up. It was their habit to speak every day even if only for a few minutes. Ever since Timothy died they had an unspoken vow never to be too busy to find a moment to talk. So when two days of silence had gone by their relief at hearing their daughters voice was palpable offset only by their horror at what had happened. Arizona knew they wanted to see their granddaughter straight away but in truth they wouldn't have been allowed into the NICU and she had enough to deal with between Sophia and Callies injuries. Still it had been enough for her to know that they were there ,available at a moments notice. Arizona smiled at the thought that at the worst of times hearing her mothers voice always seemed to improve matters. Looking at Sophia again in her arms,fast asleep and safe,she hoped that Sophia would feel the same way towards her and Callie as she did about Barbara.

Really the only thing that worried her about her parents arrival was that after all their communication,all her talk to her Mom and Dad would they treat Callie as well as she deserved. Arizona knew that at times she had over-shared with her parents. It was just that at times before Sophia was born she had felt so isolated,so unsure of her 'part' in Callies plan and so unprepared to share her worst fears with her friends, some of whom were,as Callie called them, part of her "lesbian golden circle" and so only too willing to be critical Of her Calliope and others like Teddy were too close to them as a couple. So she unburdened herself with her parents. Parents who probably never needed to know that Callie still got footrubs from Mark or had insisted on him sharing their bed back in the day. And she should never ever have mentioned that Mark had called her nothing.

In retrospect she should have realised that the minute they actually met Callie they would love her. In fact if they hadn't exhibited signs of being totally crazy about her Calliope she would have carted them both of for CT scans stat! Who wouldn't love Calliope? With her big heart and beautiful soul it was a no-brainer. Callie of course didn't see herself that way and had worried herself sick.

"_Arizona, where are you? You promised you'd be home before they got here and they're due at 6pm and its ten of now!"_

"_Callie,callie, calm down. I'll be there as soon as I can but Stark made me take one of his elective surgeries, apparently he had something better to do, so I've just scrubbed out and I've got to go talk to the parents but I should be home in 30 minutes...maybe they'll be late?"_

"_Late? Seriously? Your father,the Colonel,late? Arizona" The last word had been a barely indecipherable whine. _

"_Colonel and Mrs. Robbins,you're here right on time,uhm,welcome" Calliope had managed to stutter out all the while thinking of ways to murder Arizona or Stark or both._

"_Eighteen Hundred hours as promised" smiled the man who moments later introduced himself as 'the Colonel' and his wife as "and this is Arizonas mother and my own Commanding Officer for 38 years, Barbara"_

_Leaving Callie no time to reply Barbara Robbins enveloped her in a bear hug saying "its so wonderful to finally meet the girl who has stolen our little girls heart" and then 'the Colonel' followed up with "and she described you as stunning and gorgeous and I'll have a word with my daughter about that because she has not done you justice at all,young lady" and he finished with a smile,a dimpled smile no less that left her in no doubt where Arizona had inherited that trait from._

"_Speaking of whom, where is our daughter?" and in that moment Callie saw the authority figure that sometimes reduced her fiancée to tears._

"_Oh no she's not late, I mean she is but she's not, I mean its not her fault because shes always punctual...sir. Her boss Dr, Stark pulled her into the O.R without warning so she'll be here soon."_

_Barbara Robbins,by now bouncing on her toes with anticipation,and with that another Arizona trait was explained,said "Is she here, can we see her?" it was a whisper laced with uncertainty. It was at that moment that Callie realised that as nervous as she was to meet the people who in a few short days would be her in-laws,they too were unsure,uncertain with her,uncertain as to their status._

"_Oh,yes,Sophia" and as if on cue the first whimperings sounded on the baby monitor._

_Daniel and Barbara Robbins had waited a long time for a grandchild and when their son perished in Iraq had resigned themselves to not having one. When Arizona broke up with the woman whom she had spent the best part of a year gushing about( in a most un-Arizona like way), a woman they had expected might be 'the one' then all hope vanished. They had thought, just maybe, if she met the right woman that her 'no baby, not now not ever rule' might be quietly shelved. But it seemed not even the rather exotically named 'Calliope' could change their daughters mind._

_When she had phoned them in tears, yet laughing, telling them she was Ok, that Calliope was Ok, that they had encountered the shooter and Calliope had 'been her good man in a storm' and that they were going to have a whole plethora of kids they had told themselves to not get caught up in it. And then Malawi happened. They had been so, so proud of Arizona but then so saddened when she told them that in an airport in Washington State she had ended her relationship. At that moment they had worried not about future grandchildren but about their daughter. Even though it was her choice she seemed wounded, scarred, devastated as never before. _

_So after her return they had listened day after day to her quest to reunite with the woman she now was calling her destiny. They listened too as she broke down and cried bitter tears one night until no more tears would come having learned of Callie's unplanned pregnancy by the man she described as her nemesis. And they had worried too, had not stopped worrying in fact after Arizona rang them, in tears again (but she assured them happy tears) saying that she was going to be a Mom, that she already felt like one, that she had heard a heartbeat and that they would be grandparents._

_Their worry never ceased until it changed into a different type of worry for the little baby hooked up to more machines than imaginable. Their daughter's love for this baby was obvious and pure and try as they might to distance themselves(fearing that this Callie might change her mind) they could not but love the little baby from the daily photos and videos sent to them by their daughter._

Arizona sighed wishing again that she had been there to see her Mom hold her granddaughter for the first time. Even more so to witness the unbelievable sight of her father,the Colonel,wiping tears from his eyes as he watched on. And yet again she thanked her lucky stars for the parents she had been given and as she rose from the chair slowly so as not to disturb Sophia and as she laid her down in her crib she hoped that she could be as good a parent to her little beauty.


	3. Chapter 3

Callie Torres was not a morning person. Aged 13, 23 or 33, it didn't matter. And whether it was the piercing sound of a conventional alarm clock or a clock radio set to maximum volume or one of those really funky ones that actually run away and hide it didn't matter either. Ultimately the reaction would be the same; a groan of disbelief that it could actually be morning again so soon followed by an indecipherable "Ugghhh" followed by a few attempts to find the snooze button all in the vain attempt to delay the inevitable.

Now Sophia Robbin Sloan Torres did not come with a snooze button but, like some alarms, she did start of low and build up to a crescendo (of wailing). Her lungs may have been seriously underdeveloped at birth but that was one area of her development where she seemed to have caught up in double quick time. In those first terrifying weeks after she came home the slightest change in her breathing pattern alone had both her and Arizona sitting bolt upright in nano - seconds. Now however they had got it down to a fine art. The one whose "turn" it was would wake, the other would barely hear and fall back to sleep in an instant.

Even this morning at 6.30am it was no different...at first.

"Ugghhh! Soph..." but then this morning was different. A wave of awe and happiness first. _I'm getting married. I'm marrying her today. I'm going to be her wife. Arizona will be my wife. Today._ And a broad grin appeared and she was wide awake. And then a wave of sadness and despair. _They won't be there, again. First time I didn't give them a chance to be but this time she didn't give me a chance, us a chance._

And as she fed and changed and hugged her beloved bundle she tried to rationalise it while failing to hold back the tears. _Hell? Seriously Mama? Why? Because a condom didn't do its job properly or because as a result of my choice of life partner I won't ever need to worry about condoms again? We could have just signed papers before a bored apathetic judge at City Hall, made it purely a legal transaction...a Domestic Partnership...just another contract...would that have kept you happy...sated the lawyer in you?... _Was it that they were going all out to celebrate their love, with friends and family, before God in a Christian church officiated by a Christian minister? Was that what really bothered her mama. Her mama; the proud, independent, successful, charitable and loving woman she had grown up knowing, adoring and being loved and raised by. Her mama who had been her role model. Her mama whom she loved and admired and now wanted only the same in return. Her mama whom she wanted to fuss over her and make unnecessary last minute alterations to her wedding veil. She just wanted her Mama to be there.

And her Daddy...but that didn't hurt so much because she knew in his heart he would be there. He had been won over by Arizona a long time ago...who wouldn't be if they opened their heart even a little. But even if Lucia could not see fit to do so Callie knew she had to keep her heart open to her mother and that was why she had sent her beloved father away to be with his wife and to stand loyal to her. Why? Because that's what married couples did; that's what marriage was about; **loyalty and fidelity and love. **She knew that because her parents had shown her that – all her life.

And she knew that her chosen partner knew that too because Arizona had learnt the same from her parents. For all the superficial differences between them – the one bright and perky, the other dark and frowny;the one an eternal optimist, the other more a glass half empty at times – in truth they were far more alike than they were different. They both believed and trusted in **loyalty and fidelity and love. **

_Enough already_, Callie thought as she put her little girl down to sleep and after a substantial breakfast, got into shower to wash away her sadness. _If my family can't be there – if my mother can't love me enough to set aside her own beliefs for just one day and if Aria can't care enough to change her own plans just once for me then so be it. Today I'll become her wife as officially as we are allowed and we'll do it with love and pride and fluffy kick ass white dresses. _She was just about managing to convince herself that it didn't matter.

Callie couldn't help but contrast her family with Arizona's. She was the one with the living sibling but in truth Timothy Robbins would be more present at their wedding than Aria Torres. And Callie decided then that military precision timing or not she would make sure that they would find time to include him...even if it meant incurring a little wrath from 'the Colonel'. After all she wasn't the one with the authority issues and, although the time was not yet right to share this little nugget with her soon to be Mrs, she kind of found him like a big huggable Yogi bear...one that had a disconcerting manner at times and you certainly wouldn't want to threaten his loved ones... then he was less Yogi and more Grizzly– just ask Mark – but if he considered you family there was nothing he wouldn't do to protect you. And she had always been partial to a man who cried, who had a soft gentle side, which so explained her first marriage.

She giggled at the memory of her Arizona.

"_Ah no Calliope...whatever you think you saw you did not see that!" _

"_I know what I saw, I was there, remember...the sole member of the welcoming committee. At 18.00 hours...when you weren't,hhmph."_

"_Calliope..."_

"_Oh no don't you Calliope me and don't tell me I didn't see it...he cried, there were tears on both cheeks and his eyes were full of..."_

"_The Colonel doesn't cry. Not ever, he didn't shed a tear at Timothy's funeral even."_

"_Arizona, I know you love him and you're a bit scared of him too but your Dad cried when your Mom picked her up. I wouldn't have seen it either cause he was standing way back and I was with your Mom and she was gooing and Sophia was gahing and all three of us were kind of bouncing...which is a bit worrying cause I don't bounce...I'm not going to start bouncing when I become a Robbins am I?"_

"_It's a distinct possibility Cal" laughed a bemused blonde_

"_Eew, bouncing" she shuddered "Anyway I realised that with all the bouncing there was every possibility that Sophia was going to introduce her Grandma to the joys of spit up any moment so I turned around quickly to grab a cloth and that was when I saw it...the Colonel crying."_

"_And later on when he was rocking her to sleep in the nursery by himself after your Mom insisted on feeding her _and _bathing her _and_ changing her( Grandparents are handy to have round) I caught him again...he said there was dust in his eye but he's just a big pile of mush around his Sophia"_

They were both lovely and it just proved that really when it came down to it love was all that mattered. Not blood, not DNA, not biology (as sacrilegious as that might appear coming from a Doctor). Just like with Arizona...she couldn't love Sophia more if she had been the one carrying her...and it was hilarious really because while Arizona might be one of the world's foremost pediatric surgeons but when it came to their daughter she was as jittery and nervous a new Mom as Callie...more so in some ways because she knew the worst that could happen especially to an early preemie like Sophia.

But just like their daughter when the Robbins were all in, boy were they all in. Honestly every time they left the apartment they came back with something new...Barbara was always buying dresses and onesies...in every shade of pink imaginable...and the Colonel was buying Teddy Bears...also mostly pink. Seriously who knew there was more than one pink? Of course he had brought with him from home a gigantic Teddy, dressed in a Marine uniform and she had caught him whispering something to Sophia how the Navy were wusses so she had to be a Marine when she grew up.

"_Uhm, Colonel, you know she's barely six months old"_

"_Never too early to start them on the right path, Callie...Arizona was able to march in perfect formation by the time she was three. Better than a lot of Naval Cadets! And don't get me started on the Air Force!"_

It was funny, really, she had been terrified of meeting them, finally, for the first time. She expected them to love Sophia but with the way she had been conceived she had expected to have to work really hard for their respect. But they had just welcomed her, literally into their family.

After the debacle with her mother yesterday they had to cancel their "joint family" dinner. Of course by the time she had stopped being upset, after Arizona offered to cancel the wedding..._God I love that woman...she's been so excited...planning the honeymoon...and the flowers for the Church...and the string quartet and she was the one who found Fr. Brooks...THROUGH THE GOLDEN CIRCLE APPARENTLY... she'd never seen Arizona so buzzed about anything even her Malawi kids coming were taking a poor second place. Although only Callie really knew this..to the rest of the world Arizona seemed cool, calm and collected about the wedding...nonchalant really...but Callie knew, knew just how much it meant to Arizona to make her her wife. And yet last night she was prepared to cancel for her...God I love her._ Of course before they could cancel the dinner the Robbins had arrived to take them to the Restaurant, arrived early so as to not be late...possibly the worst sin a Robbins could commit apparently.

And to her mortification she cried in front of the Colonel...while Barbara was saying goodnight to Sophia with Arizona. Well he made her cry, what else could she do when this bear of a man took her in his arms and said _" Don't worry dear, your mother will come round eventually. She's afraid because she loves you very much and she doesn't understand that you are still her little girl, that you are who she raised you to be. And she did a fine job too. Barbara and I are proud that tomorrow you will become our daughter and we are so happy that our little girl has found someone brave and honourable and loyal to love her in her journey through life. And I'm so happy that you gave her the gift of parenthood...the greatest honours ever bestowed on me was to be the father of my son and daughter"._ This from a man with a whole chest full of medals and honours. Well who wouldn't cry after that...and no prize for guessing from where Arizona got her oration skills. And he cried again and still no-one else was around to see it...three times in three days she had seen him cry... she was beginning to wonder if Arizona was right and she was hallucinating.

Still she could see why _some_ people might find him intimidating...such as say...Mark. Oh he really didn't like Mark...nope not at all. In fact had she been Mark she would probably have shrivelled up and died by now, from the barbed remarks launched direct at him and from those laser steel cutting blue eyes. Oh yes, that look. She had received that look from Arizona once or twice but god it was a near fatal weapon. Poor Sophia(and her siblings?) that look was not one you would wish to have visited upon you often.

It was kind of funny how he kept referring to Mark, just out of earshot as 'the sperm donor'...well amusing at least...and really Mark did invite it upon himself. Now that he and Arizona were getting on better (better than her and Mark at times) he seemed to assume that he was family and that meant he had sort of adopted himself not just into her Arizona and Sophias life but into both the Torres and Robbins family too. She knew she shouldn't laugh because it was kind of sad cause he was desperately lonely but still he almost suggested coming on the honeymoon( to mind Sophia)at one point and well...no...ew..no.

Still he kept turning up at the most unexpected moments.

"_Arizona, did you invite Mark to the family dinner?"_

"_No, I assumed you had, Callie."_

"_Nope...wasn't planning on it either!"_

Which is how Mark ended up sitting at the top of the table at a hastily set (by the caterer) seventh place setting...and as befitting his place at the top of the table took it upon himself to make several toasts...to the happy couple and mothers of _his_ child...if looks could kill the one fired at that moment by the Colonel would surely have finished him off; a toast to their beautiful baby and her two beautiful grandmothers and two distinguished grandfathers. She had to admit the Sloan charm seemed to work on the Robbins women if no-one else. She swore she saw Arizona beaming at him at one point and shooting daggers at the Colonel (over another sperm donor remark) at one point. On the other hand that might just have been another hallucination. _Should she be worried?_

But back to Mark. Seriously what the hell was he doing at the rehearsal? When he walked in and said _"where do you want me?" _She nearly said _"somewhere other than here"_ And she just might have if Arizona hadn't caught her eye and whispered _"Be nice, he's lonely"_ Seriously where had she heard that line before? It had been bugging her ever since and Arizona thought it was funny? What?

And then she said what she said which was beyond weird.

"_Poor Mark...he's at a loose end...we need to find him a woman...someone nice...cause now that he's Sophia's Dad he can't be introducing her to a series of one night stands...we need to fix him."_

"_Uh,no, Marks love life is most definitely not our concern, Arizona. Besides the only fixing I'll be doing is on his bones cause between calling our Dads his fathers in law and standing in the Colonels spot he'll be lucky to survive the wedding intact."_

And really the irony was not lost on her. There he was at the rehearsal as useful as an ice cube in hell and now he was going to be walking her up the aisle. She hadn't even thought about it until they were snuggled up in bed last night.

"_Oh God, Arizona who'll walk me up the aisle? Who'll give me away?" and the tears that had not been far away ever since her parents left began to fall again. _

_Arizona had turned to her and looked at her seriously for a few moments,took a deep breath and said_

"_Calliope we are two grown women, adults, successful doctors, mothers, we don't need anyone to walk us up that aisle and we sure as hell don't belong to anyone so why don't we walk up on our own, one after the other and give ourselves to each other freely? No muss no fuss."_

"_But its tradition"_

"_Yeah, but its also tradition to have a groom and I definitely don't want one of those..."_

"_I love your suggestion, babe but your Dad wants to walk you up the aisle and I'm not taking it away from him..I don't want to see him cry like a bitch baby again"_

"_Callie,the Colonel doesn't cry."_

"_He's a bigger blubberer than you Arizona...you get your speechmaking,your laser death stare and your crying from him. Your Mom gave you the bouncing, the perk and your blonde hair. And the killer dimples and your love of pink weirdly comes from both of them. So no, you are going to have your father, the Colonel walk you up the aisle, in his dress uniform. And when you get there I'll be waiting for you."_

"_Mark."_

"_What Mark?"_

"_Mark will give you away, he'll walk you up the aisle and give you to me and I'm never ever going to let you go again"._


	4. Chapter 4

Mark Sloan was excited...which was a little strange... but it wasn't because his best friend was getting married to the love of her life today or because his two hot baby mommas were finally making honest women of each other. No it was what would be happening during their honeymoon that had him excited. Really excited. It was all he could think about. Just the two of them, alone together, having fun...and frolics.

Fun and frolics and... diaper changes. Yes he was going to have Sophia alone for three whole days. Well alone apart from the posse of babysitters and emergency helpers that Robbins had rounded up. NICU nurses and a pediatrician to name but four.

One of the aforementioned NICU nurses was minding Sophia here at their apartment this afternoon while he was at the wedding and then she would be all his for three days...Sophia that is not the NICU nurse. Callie had wanted to bring Sophia on honeymoon but Arizona had actually agreed that he was capable of looking after their daughter now that she was a little bigger and stronger. He had wanted to bring her to the wedding but her immune system was still a little fragile so it had been agreed she would stay home.

So it was with a light heart he had showered this morning and was just standing there in his birthday suit about to get dressed when she burst into his apartment.

"_Mark, I need to ask you a fav...OMIGOD! MARK! Put some clothes on...ugh...please clothes NOW!"_

"_Good morning Blondie...knock much? Finally decide to see what you've been missing out on all these years, huh? I knew it was only a matter of time before I got to you too" he couldn't resist as a broad smirk appeared on his face._

Her face was entirely a different picture, blushing furiously with what seemed like a mixture of horror and...he couldn't quite place it.

"_First penis? " _he said with a little nod and what he hoped sounded like understanding.

Arizona looked at him in disbelief, of all the ways she had imagined this morning going seeing Sloan's...ah...appendage was so not one of them.

"_Seriously Mark? Uhm, no? I'm a Doctor so I've seen plenty and...Why are you still naked, MARK?"_

He quickly grabbed a towel this time because, well she was hot, very hot, in fact and he was only human, a man, in fact and horny and well a flustered blushing Arizona was even hotter than usual and she certainly didn't need to see what effect she was having...that would not be good.

"_What's up, Doc?" _sometimes he even amused himself with his witty repartee.

And so she told him all about Lucia and Carlos and asked him as Callie's best friend to give her away at the wedding.

"_And you're OK with that, Robbins?" _because he wasn't oblivious to the way she had felt about him in the past and even though they were in a much better place now, becoming friends, maybe one day good friends, he knew that there would always be a part of her that...maybe not disliked...but resented... his place in their now blended family.

"_Sure, of course" _and it was almost true but even though it had been her idea there was a tiny part of her, maybe always would be, that wished for a completely Sloan - free existence.

"_Mark, I'm pretty busy all morning so can you just make sure she's okay, I mean really okay and if she changes her mind about...about anything..."_

"_Arizona, she's not going to change her mind about you, no matter what her mother says. She chose you before her family a long time ago and that was before everything you two have been through and before Sophia and..."_

"_Before Malawi..."_ Arizona hated herself for still being insecure but Lucia Torres leaving had thrown her... she knew how much family meant to Callie, how much this wedding meant to her; its why she had gone all out to give Callie the wedding she deserved, the church, the dresses, the minister...honestly she'd have been happy to marry her Calliope wearing scrubs in Joe's bathroom.

"_Now look, Mommy"_ he knew that him calling her that always annoyed her, but he thought it secretly pleased her too "_Torres forgave you a long time ago, isn't it time you forgave yourself? Now go to work, I'll see you in the O.R for heart boy later and in the meantime I'll look after your girl...and Robbins... I wouldn't want to give her away to anyone but you."_

As she left the apartment Arizona couldn't resist _"Thanks, Mark...oh and nice to know you were...__**pleased...**__ to see me!"_

Damn, she noticed!

It _was_ a big day and although she was working, she still had plenty time, to dwell on the momentous life changing event that would happen later and on the events of recent days too.

As much as she wanted to check in on Callie they had agreed not to have any communication until they met up in Church at exactly 17.00 hours. Precisely. The Colonels schedule said so and apparently there wasn't even a minute to spare, not even one minute to remember his son. Damn it she'd sprint up the aisle if it meant they could find a minute. Still she knew_ finding_ a minute wasn't the problem. That's why her Mom wouldn't let her push it at the rehearsal. She knew that her father could not_ find_ that minute because if he did then he might show weakness; show pain, show grief...and showing it meant having to deal with it. If Callie was right and Sophia let him show his softer side well then she was proving to be every bit as miraculous as her Momma.

Still her father was driving her crazy with his schedules and avoidance of anything Timothy related and his overt hostility to Mark. Although some of _that_ was funny - well Callie thought it was funny. Actually Callie had bonded so much with the Colonel it was a little worrisome and weird and well wonderful.

Strangely she felt the same way about Carlos Torres. The first time she saw him he was preoccupied throwing grown men against walls, so she knew that he was just as fierce and protective as her father. The second time was that night when she inadvertently told him she loved his daughter...the first time she'd said those words out loud...words that had spilled unexpectedly from her mouth before she'd even realised their truth. And they had spoken by phone on occasion after that and while she never believed Callie's _"my Dad loves you" _remarks still she thought there was a tentative bond forming.

Then Malawi happened. And a pregnancy. And a near tragic accident. And she had made a lie out of her own words _"I protect the things I love" _and the next time they met Callie was still in the early days of her recovery...still sleeping most of the time...still unable to even unclench her fist ...in recovery from an accident she had caused. The Torres had visited and she had spoken to Carlos and been introduced to Lucia but in all honesty it was a bit of a blur. And at that point all 3 of them were united by their love for Callie and their prayers for her full recovery.

So this week as nervous as Callie had been about meeting Barbara and Daniel it had been nothing compared to how she had been about meeting Carlos and Lucia again.

"_Arizona...how lovely to meet you again...and for a joyous occasion this time. So has my daughter turned into Bridezilla yet? Or are you the crazy bride to be?"_

She had to hand it to him - for a man shouting words like abomination and sinful not so long ago – he was certainly making an effort.

"_So Arizona tell me what exactly happens at one of these Proud marches? Is it like Day but with pink beer?"_

Even if sometimes it was a little confusing.

"_I was so relieved to learn that you were not a vegetarian...I don't think I could handle that!"_

And he certainly adored his granddaughter.

"_No, no there's no need to put her in her crib, she's as light as a feather and she's been sleeping like this for over an hour so it would be wrong to move her...I'll just keep holding her...its my job...I'm her grandfather"_

And he was inclusive of her in the best possible way.

"_Arizona, you have the most beautiful daughter, I look forward to you bringing your family to Miami so I can show my granddaughter and my new daughter in law off to all my friends"_

But then there was Lucia. Mama Torres was, like her husband unceasingly polite but while she tried to hide her discomfort in reality it cast a long and dark shadow. And Arizona could not remember a single conversation she had with her soon to be mother in law that she herself had not instigated or one that despite her perk and enthusiasm lasted more than a few sentences. And as disappointing as it was to be back _there_ again Arizona could handle it.

What she couldn't handle was the fact that Lucia's discomfort extended to her granddaughter. Now _that_ Arizona took personally. What kind of person wouldn't love Sophia...their Sophia...who was both miraculous and stunning...damn it she was breath – taking. Arizona thought it might be the fact that _she_ was her second Momma and so in Lucia's eyes was "contaminating" the baby. So hard as it was, in Lucia's presence, she took a back seat. When Sophia cried she fought her maternal instincts and let Callie tend to her, but it seemed to matter little. When Lucia Torres left yesterday she had successfully managed to spend 48 hours in the company of her only grandchild without once physically touching her.

Still she knew, even if Lucia Torres did not, that there was more than one way to create a family.

"_Can I get a minute, Dr. Robbins?"_

"_Sure Derek but you'll have to walk with me, schedules a bit crazy today"_ she smiled.

"_I can only imagine, big day. Right?"_

She smiled a smile to match the biggest McDreamy smile ever _"Biggest day ever!"_

"_Zola, your patient from...Malawi."_

"_No, Kenya, not all of the kids are Malawian, yes...Zola Omondi...is she okay...I thought you were going to put in a shunt and drain..."_

"_Yes, she's fine, great actually. She's an orphan right?" _

"_Yes, father died in an RTA before she was born and Mom died giving birth...extended family decimated by AIDS ...with her problems she'll probably stay in the orphanage most of her childhood...even after surgery here."_

"_What do you know about adoption from Kenya...for a Child like Zola...?"_ he hesitated_ "for say...a couple like us, Mer and me?"_

"_I'd say...Zola would be a very lucky girl and so would you and Mer...And if there was anything I could do with the authorities over there to help I'd be only too pleased. Might be a day for big decisions all round?"_

It was a big day and she was working and now she had to prepare for a big surgery on a little human whose only request was that he not ruin his little sisters birthday by dying today. And Arizona, who knew better than to make promises, nonetheless, had promised that he would not be ruining his sisters birthday and she meant it because she knew exactly how that felt.

Arizona would spend the rest of her day preparing for and being in surgery with Kondo in the OR. If luck was on her side she would scrub out around 15.00 hours leaving her 2 hours to get herself "to the Church on time"...because after all being late was almost the worst thing a Robbins could do.

"_Sloan, did you just page me 911 to the front door of the hospital?"_

"_Yes, " _Mark said with his most charming manwhore smile.

"_Don't you me, Sloan and remove that stupid smile...you should know by now that your 'charm' does not now, never has and Lord knows never will work on me. Save it for one of your Hottie McSluttie nurses"_

"_Hottie McSluttie? Really Miranda? Well you are the expert on Nurses these days!"_

His reward was the patented Bailey stare, guaranteed to make grown men shrivel.

"_And what in the world is a Code White and why is it a 911?"_

"_Its Torres, she's supposed to be having a White wedding and instead she's having an M.I..."_

"_A myocardial infarction? CALLIE IS HAVING A HEART ATTACK?"_

"_No, no an M.I...A matrimonial incident...and you have to go fix it... while I find a logistics expert, preferably one with military training... so go...go fix it...because you're Bailey"_


	5. Chapter 5

"Rap, rap, rap"

Mark knocked on the door with a confidence he certainly wasn't feeling. After the few encounters he'd had so far with 'the Colonel' he fully understood now why Robbins had found her father an intimidating authority figure in the past. And, unlike Robbins whom her father clearly loved and adored, well loathing and disdain would be an apt description of the Colonels apparent feelings for him.

It was a self–defence mechanism that had served Mark since he was a little boy...if someone didn't like him he made sure to ramp up whatever it was they found so objectionable. So when his father berated him (on the rare occasion he paid his son any attention at all) for being too 'bookish' Mark made sure that no-one (other than occasionally his best pal Derek Shepherd) ever got better grades than him; in school when teachers called him a smartass he just made sure that his every retort was cleverer and more insolent than the last. When girls (especially ones he really liked) rejected him and called him a player well Mark made sure he became the greatest player of them all. So if Colonel Daniel Robbins (Retired) of the US Marine Corp despised him because he was the father of his only grandchild well then Mark made sure he never forgot to mention that _he was the father._

"_Daniel, its Dr. Sloan, he says he needs your help"_ Barbara called to her husband through the shower door _"for a logistics operation?"_

"_The sperm donor is here? Why is the sperm donor here, why is the sperm donor everywhere? Who is Arizona marrying today...her fiancée or the sperm donor?" _the exasperation in his voice becoming ever clearer and louder as he emerged from the shower and wrapping himself in only a towel moved into the bedroom of their hotel suite.

"_What do you want, Sloan?" _Daniel Robbins might be retired and in his early seventies and wearing nothing but a towel but Mark Sloan never recalled being quite so physically intimidated in his entire life.

"_Uhm, Sir"_ in all honesty Mark knew that it had come out as more of a squeak than a word and using as much masculinity as he could muster in the face of '_the_ Colonel' he tried again_ "Sir, Colonel, Sir,I need your help to rearrange the wedding"_

Somehow the Colonels silence was equally intimidating as his voice but Mark managed to explain about the loss of the Minister and consequently the Ministers church.

"_And Arizona asked _you_ to help with the new arrangements?"_ the surprise in Barbara's voice was evident.

"_Oh,hell,no Robbins would never...uh,I mean DR. Robbins would never ask me for...she doesn't know,ma'am" _and somehow now even sweet, welcoming perky Barbara Robbins was turning him into even more of a mumbling mess. If this kept up he'd be the one with authority issues not Blondie.

"_She doesn't know? How does she not know?" _concern replacing surprise in Barbara.

"_She's at work...and she's about to go into a major heart surgery on one of her African kids and besides Torres has cancelled the wedding but Baileys working on her so there's really no time to lose because we need a new venue and..."_

"_ has cancelled the wedding!"_ the words from the military man seemed to drop the temperature in the room several degrees in an instant.

Mark froze - he hadn't meant to mention Callie's reaction to the news at all. He had absolute confidence that Bailey would make her see sense in no time at all but now he couldn't help but think that he had thrown the mother of his child (well one of them) under a bus and if the tone of the Colonels voice was any indication being thrown under a bus might well be the lesser of two evils.

"_She, she...ah...ehmm...she's just unnerved...she always dreamt of the big day, in the big dress...in the big church with her family...and one by one her dream seems to be falling apart but Bailey will convince her and its only a blip and.."  
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"_Arizona is supposed to be her dream!"_ Barbara said quietly but with a steely tone in her voice that instantly reminded Mark of her daughter.

"_If is having doubts about her relationship with MY daughter then perhaps its best for Arizona if..." _and while the Colonel wasn't used to people interrupting him...few people were brave enough to try... Mark suddenly heard himself do just that.

"_NO! No, no...uh, I mean no Sir._

_...I mean Callie isn't having doubts about your daughter, sir. She loves her, sir...she has done for a very long time. I know they've hit a few speed bumps during their relationship...what with Roller girl...Uhm I mean your...Uhm Arizona not wanting a family and then the shooting and then they seemed so happy it just made the rest of us jealous...and then Malawi...which was unbelievable because who'd have thought McAwesome...Uhm I mean your...Uhm Arizona having it in her to do that to Torres and in an airport too - even if Torres had been acting like a spoilt brat for weeks...and I even told her just to talk to her and do the long distance thing but no Callie was acting like Blondie...Uhm I mean your...Uhm Arizona wanted her to get a big rack and she was going to give her Double D's...uh by big rack I mean Afri..." _Mark tailed off as suddenly the silence had become even more oppressive.

Barbara and Daniel Robbins were staring at him now, or was that _glaring,_ in a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief and something not entirely pleasant.

"_What I'm trying to say...is she loves your daughter and your daughter loves her...everyone sees it...we've always seen it...they're M.F.E.O you know?"_ Mark said mentally making a note to have Arizona school him in the art of oration as he clearly didn't have her skills with the tongue.

"_M.F.E.O?" _the Robbins said in bafflement.

"_Made for each other. They've not maybe always known it but their friends we've known it. They're like..." _Mark thought of a suitable analogy _"yeah, Ben and Jerry...sure they can survive without each other but together they make tasty lick able ice-cream"_

The Colonels eyes narrowed just a little bit more and Mark knew he needed to try harder

"_Or, or Marge and Homer...or Laurel and Hardy...or Batman and Robin...Peanut Butter and Jelly...both tasty on their own but delic..."_ even Mark sometimes knew when to stop talking.

"_Sir Callie just panics sometimes and all she needs is Arizona to calm down just like sometimes Arizona needs to let go control and Callie is the one that relaxes her. Now what with her mother telling her that she's not a bride and this isn't a wedding and now everything else she's panicking but we can't tell your daughter because she's just about honourable and stupid enough to let her cancel and they both want this,Sir,they both deserve this." _

"_So let me get this straight...you want me to find a new venue,re-arrange the photographer and notify all the guests and procure a new person to officiate the ceremony all before 17.00 hours today and its now 11.00 hours."_

"_Yes Sir"_

"_I see and I'm to do this without the knowledge of one bride and possibly without the consent of the other?"_

"_Yes Sir and I'd help but I have to scrub in on Arizona's surgery in less than two hours...I know it's a huge task but..." _now it was the Colonel doing the interrupting

"Really, young man...I could organise a successful Land and Sea invasion of a small Country in half the time...now all I need is access to Arizona's WOM"

"_WOM? Sir? "_ Mark wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Yes...W.O.M - Wedding Operation Manual...if I know my daughter it will include all logistical details I need and will be neatly bound colour coded and paginated."

Mark who also knew the Colonels daughter reckoned he was right.

After Bailey texted Mark to confirm that the_ M.I_ was resolved and that _Code White _was a go a much happier Callie suddenly frowned and said _"Does Arizona know?"_

"_Does Robbins know what?"_

"_That I cancelled our wedding?_

Miranda Bailey pulled herself up to her full height and said _"Psshhh...You didn't cancel...you just had pre-wedding jitters...completely normal and far as I know only myself, Sloan and the Colonel knows."_

"_The Colonel knows!" _gulped the suddenly ashen Latina "_oh God, I guess I'm going to find out sooner rather than later if my mother was right about me going to hell..."_

"_I don't want her to know...I've made so many bad choices lately...I've put her last so many times and as a result so have others around me.." _Miranda, as she listened to her friend, couldn't help but recall the day of Callie's accident and the way, the shameful way she and most of her colleagues had ignored Arizona in lieu of Mark_ "and I know, I know she's my one...but if she hears that I...she'll think I have doubts about her...and I don't...not a single one."_

Before another word was spoke a heavy knock on the door announced the arrival of the Robbins. Barbara made a beeline to an obviously nervous Callie and embraced her in a bear hug whispering lowly _"Don't ever tell the Colonel but the night before our wedding I was so nervous I packed a bag and begged my parents to drive me to the bus station so I could leave town before the wedding."_

_Meanwhile Colonel Robbins introduced himself to the petite African American woman "And you must be Doctor Bailey, pleasure to meet you, I'm the Colonel."_

"_Pleasures all mine"_ Miranda replied and smiled back.

Daniel Robbins wondered not for the first time what kind of a wuss Mark Sloan was describing this sweet lady as a 'Nazi' and using the Robbins charm (a trait Arizona had picked up in equal measure from both parents) said _"I understand from Sloan that you'll be my second in command today in Operation ...what did he call it...Calzone?. I swear the sperm donor seems to be obsessed with food."_

Miranda just smiled again...a smile that if you didn't know her would have appeared benign as she thought silently..."Second in Command, huh, you ain't seen nothing yet, fool man!"


	6. Chapter 6

"_Arizona, if you want to scrub out...go ahead...I've...we've got this?"_ Teddy smiled.

"_No, no...I...there's plenty time...my Dads schedule is 100% on track...besides I promised Kondo...and Sefu... so I'm here till it's over."_

"_We've done the hard stuff...the heart stuff...Sloan's just here to prettify it!" Go marry your girl!"_ Cristina said it but didn't mean it...at least not the 'we' part...the rest she meant...almost... because hell this was about Torres after all...not like she was a friend or anything but still.

"_I made a promise...if it takes longer Callie will understand..."_ Arizona paused, thinking just how much her tiny humans from this part of the world had affected her...their... relationship...directly and indirectly... for good and for bad...if it wasn't for these tiny humans...or ones just like them she might not be about to become a wife...who knows...but certainly she would not be a parent. Nor would the man standing beside her "_... she will."_

Mark Sloan stayed silent...partly because he was concentrating on his job... Yang might not get it...to her what kept a human being alive was the heart muscle...to normal humans even arrogant Type A surgeons life was so much more than that... but he stayed silent too because he knew just how much today meant to Arizona Robbins...it had taken a while but he got it...and if she could prioritise the successful completion of a_ pro bono_ surgery on a sub Saharan boy over the day she married her _one_ then the least he could do was create a half decent sternum for this boy and do it in time to get her to whatever church Bailey and the Colonel had organised..._and_ on time.

And she waited - till the last stitch was in place; till the Gasman reduced the levels of anaesthesia till normal; till Kondo was wheeled from the OR to the High Dependency Recovery Unit – until she could scrub out with Sloan and Altman.

"_What was Bailey doing today, Mark?"_

"_Huh?"_ Mark replied in what he hoped was his most nonchalant voice.

"_Mark – she came into the OR twice and I'm pretty sure I saw her gesturing at you and Teddy from outside more than once...what's going on? If it's anything to do with me and Callie you need to call it off now...my Dad has a schedule...seriously if you mess with the Colonels schedule..."_ Arizona gulped at the mere thought of the consequences...these guys were civilians ...even Teddy because she was just ex army they couldn't...wouldn't understand the dire consequences of messing with a Marines schedule.

"_Uhm...gotta go talk to this boy's brother..."_ Teddy muttered throwing a look at Sloan as she hastily backed out of the room checking the multitude of messages from Bailey on her Blackberry as she went.

"_Sloan!"_

Mark just about had time to read the first message on his phone_ "All systems go...repeat Code White is a go!"_ while simultaneously thinking that as hot as Robbins was...and she was smokin'...there was just enough of the Colonel in her to make him glad that it was Torres and not him doing the marrying today.

"_Mark Anthony Sloan...what is going on?"_

"_ gettinhitchedchill!"_ maybe if he said it really quickly she wouldn't ask any questions.

"_M-Mark...no ch...Church...no Fr. Bro...OH GOD Callie! I have to talk to, I have to see...oh GOD Callie my poor girl...she...she won't...she won't want to...I need to tell her it's OK...we don't have to...is she Oh God Mark is my girl ok?"_

If he hadn't known before...and really he had...he knew then beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Blonde blue eyed woman having a minor panic attack before him...loved his best friend like no other could...would...and he realised that giving his best friend away today to this woman might just be his finest hour. He knew too that his Sofia was a lucky girl to have this woman in her life.

"_...do you still want to get married?"_ he was sure of her answer but he had to ask nonetheless

"_Mark Sloan! You don't get to ask me tha..."_

"_DO you? Even if it's not in a church or..."_ truth be told until he got to read the other 55 messages on his phone from Bailey, the Colonel and the one marked urgent from Torres he had no idea where this wedding was going to be.

"_I'd marry her standing in a shark tank wearing bloody scrubs humming the theme from __**Jaws **__if that's what it took, Mark." _

_Mark smiled "well you're Dad is a marine so I guess sharks are in his domain"_

"_That's the Coastguard Sloan" she said rolling her eyes and then after a hard swallow "is she ok...I want to talk to her and..."_

Sloan scrolled through his blackberry to reach the text from Torres, sent less than two hours ago

Mark, when you scrub out tell her this...these exact words Mark don't try to improvise because the English language is not your friend! Tell her "Arizona, I love you and you love me and we both love Sofia and nothing else matters and I can't wait to be your wife. See you at 17.00 hours...sharp (that bit is from your Dad), Calliope"

English language not my friend...huh Torres ...just you wait for my speech ...I may not be a Robbins but I can make a speech you'll never forget, but he passed the message on verbatim nonetheless.

"_...I have to say it's been an honour serving with you today...medicines gain has been the Corps loss. It would have been an honour and a privilege to have had you on my staff." _Daniel Robbins said sincerely to the small, but formidable woman who, with his assistance ,had in a few short hours found the perfect outdoor venue, rearranged the florist, the photographer, the string quartet, the DJ, the sound and lighting people and the caterers and notified all the guests of the change of venue. She had even thought to text Carlos Torres of the change in venue just in case he persuaded his wife to have a change of heart.

It had all been done with the approval and increasing excitement and joy of one Bride...he just hoped that the other Bride was equally satisfied...seeing that she would almost certainly be the last to know.

"_been a pleasure to serve with you too Sir"_ Miranda Bailey replied with equal sincerity _"I'm sure if I had been your Commanding Officer we'd have got along just fine, Sir" _

"_All set, my dear?"_

"_Yes, I think so. Yes" _she nodded forcefully.

"_Any last minute nerves?"_

"_No, not now, I've loved her for so long...even when I tried to hate her...and I tried really hard...but I"_

"_Well even if I do say so myself my daughters a hard person to hate"_ smiled Barbara at her soon to be daughter-in-law

"_Impossible actually ... I can't believe how lucky I am...she's going to be my wife...she's so incredible and she's going to be mine...I mean I know legally it's not...but in my heart and I think,no,I know, in hers its real". _

Barbara thought back to a phone call a long time ago, more than two years ago. She had heard something different in her daughter's voice...her normal optimistic tone ever present but something else too "_So dear how did your date last night go?" "Yeah it was...good" "Just...good?" "Mom, Don't...it was really good, OK?" "What's her name...will there be a second date?" _It was a game they played - Barbara would ask questions and Arizona would answer but never give any information away - she'd be lucky if Arizona told her her girlfriends name after a month of dates.

"_Her name is Callie...actually Calliope...named after a Greek muse...of music...she's not Greek...she's Cuban American, from Miami...she's really funny...she's in Ortho...she owns the OR...you should see the way she moves there...she should have been named after a Goddess...and the way she dances...she just has that thing and she's so,so I mean she's big – hearted so generous...I don't mean money wise...well that too we passed this homeless guy and she slipped him fifty bucks but in a way that I wouldn't see and she's gorgeous...I mean breathtaking world stop turning gorgeous and...Yeah...it was...good"_

Barbara smiled as her thoughts returned to the present._ "Oh Callie,dear, she's been yours, all yours, for a very long time, longer than even she knows and it's as real as real can be!"_

Callie smiled...her version of a super magic smile...and then she remembered her first words to Mark this morning.

"_Barbara...will you be my something borrowed? I have something old ,something new and something blue...can I borrow you for today...as my Mom...or at least share you?"_

"_It would be my pleasure, my Darling girl...today and every day"_

"_I'm going to be late" _she said, still not making any attempt to leave the comfort of Sloan's arms.

"_Just a little late"_

"_My Dad said 17.00 hours sharp"_

"_You're not marrying him, and she'd wait till hell froze over for you, Robbins"_

"_I love her, Mark"_

"_I know"_

"_If Timothy was here he'd have punched you hard for sleeping with her"_

"_I'm surprised your Father hasn't"_

"_I asked him not too"_

"_Oh...thanks"_

"_I'll beat the crap out of you if you ever so much as try to...with her ever again" _even as she said the words she clung to him.

"_I know and I won't"_

"_I think my brother would have liked you, in the end, you know"_

"_I'm very likeable really once you get to know me. _

_Do you think you're Dad will ever like me?"_

"_No."_

"_Thanks for sugar coating it"_

"_You're welcome"_

She's late, Arizona is never late, and especially not with her Dad being here...she's five minutes late...Arizona thinks she's late if she arrives less than five minutes early so by Arizona time she's really late. Maybe she got caught up in that little boy's surgery...then again Yang is here...but maybe she went to talk to his brother...oh God what if he didn't make it. Stop panicking...she'll be here...you're the one that's early...I mean whoever heard of the bride being early...so she'll be a little late just to be bride like which means she'll actually be on time...and you're the over eager bridezilla freak...and...Callies internal monologue could have gone on longer but...

"_Jeez, Torres, whats with the crazy pacing back and forth muttering to yourself...Little Grey wasn't acting this crazy before she got sent to Psych. And you're doing your pee dance too...Oh God is that what's wrong...you really need to go and you can't because you're wearing a crazy ass dress...you should have worn a diaper like me and Lexie in that surgery back in the day...no-one would ever know in that dress and.." _

"_Cristina, shut up...I don't need to pee...and...What's wrong with my dress? Are you saying my ass looks big in...? Never mind...where is Arizona...did something happen in surgery...?"_

"_Surgery? Oh you mean the crazy cardio case I should have been on but instead I got to hold the freakin suction while Grey...freakin Little Grey got to...wait Blondie's not here yet?"  
><em>

"_Clearly not...did he make it...did she go talk to the brother?"_

"No surgery ended ages ago...heart boy made it...Bitch Teddy went to speak to the family...Sloan and Robbins left before I did...OH,oh,OH...maybe she's not coming."

"_YANG!" _If looks could kill then Callie would have just committed her first homicide

"_What I'm just saying maybe Rollergirls got cold feet and...what...I'm trying to help...if you've being jilted then I'm exactly who you need...OH I could shave your eyebrows off...it'll just be like that time I cut your hair and...that worked out really well in the end...didn't a busty redhead hit on you or..."_

"_She's late. Its almost 17.10...the schedule has been breached"_

"_Daniel, relax...she's the bride...she's allowed to be a little late"_

"_This is all spermboys fault"_

"_That is not his name and..."_

"_Oh no, it's not, you're right dear ,its the Spermdonors fault...I gave him one job...one job...get Arizona...who is never late... here on time...such a simple task...you'd think when he managed to get our daughters gay girlfriend pregnant he could get Arizona here on time!"_

"_Daniel, we've talked about this he has a name and..."_

"_But he's the Sp..." "DANIEL ROBBINS!" Barbara whispered through gritted teeth_

"_Why can't I call him that when he's not around" he was now in full retreat but like Custer attempted to take one last stand "and when Arizona and Callie and Sofia aren't present"_

"_Daniel, it's an order!"_

"_Yes, dear" _

"_Oh God, Cristina"_

_Cristina, concerned when she saw the look on Callies face as a single tear escaped and meandered slowly down her cheek, turned to look in the direction the Latina was now staring in as if transfixed_

"_Oh my god she is so so beautiful...my Arizona...she's here."_


	7. Chapter 7

"_Dad, I'm sorry, I know I'm late and..." _Arizona blurted out, her heart still beating slightly faster than normal from the rush to get there late "_...Oh God!"_ The anxiety on her face changed to something entirely more indecipherable as the cause of her increased heartbeat changed to the sight of the woman clad in a beautiful white dress standing a few yards in front of her.

Arizona's mouth was suddenly sandpaper dry as she tried to formulate words. Daniel Robbins knew just what it was that had his normally verbose daughter tongue-tied.

"_Dad...isn't...isn't she the most beautiful creature you've ever seen?" _Arizona couldn't take her eyes of Callie...her Callie.

"_Your girl is very beautiful"_ smiled Daniel _"definitely the __**third**__ most beautiful girl I've ever seen."_

Arizona nodded before the realisation of the emphasised word hit _"Wait what? Dad! what?" _theindignation clear in her voice.

"_Oh, Arizona, permit me the luxury, as your father, to say that __**you**__ are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen"_ the smile he wore widening with each word _"and, yet, you have to share that honour jointly, because it may be nearly forty years ago, but I still remember your mother on our wedding day."_

"_My big tough Dad, an old romantic, who knew?" _Arizona joked before addingmore sombrely _"Dad, I need to talk to Calliope...I need a moment with her"_

"_Calliope...you look.." "Hey, Babe...you are so..."_

The two spoke simultaneously_ "...beautiful" _and then both broke into spontaneous giggles.

"_My poor baby, you've gone through so much today...how did you pull this off...why didn't you tell me...I could have helped...are you ok?"_

"_I'm fine, Arizona...and truth is Bailey and your Dad did most of the work...your Mom and I just sat back and watched in awe...I love you Arizona so much"_

Arizona just nodded _"Me too, babe, me too"_ and then biting her lip nervously and taking a deep breath _"you're sure you want to do this right now?"_

Callie smiled her biggest smile, one that left Arizona in no doubt of the veracity of the words _"I've never been more sure of anything or of anyone in my entire life...now if you don't want to throw your poor Dads schedule even more out of whack...why don't you go get ready to shimmy up that aisle...I'll be the one coming right behind staring at your a.."_

"_Calliope Iphigenia Torres!"_ but the giggles were back.

As she linked arms with her father and prepared to walk the short distance to where Miranda Bailey stood she turned to him and laying her hand gently on his medal adorned chest said, with a lump in her throat "_Dad, thank you for everything you did today...and thank you everything you've always done...I love you Daddy"_

"_Your mother and I are very proud of you...we always have been, baby girl" _the Colonel said somewhat gruffly_ "...now let's get a move on before my schedule is shot entirely to hell"_

"_Dad, are you...are you crying?"_

"_Hay fever, Arizona, Hay fever!"_

Arizona with a broad smile and a disbelieving giggle took a deep breath and began her last walk as a single woman.

Afterwards they would both say that the ceremony itself seemed to pass in the blink of a blurred eye, and much of it might have remained but a blurry memory were it not for the fact that April Kepner, unasked and to their bemused annoyance then but to their eternal gratitude later, had captured the entire thing on her state of the art Camcorder.

Arizona Robbins would never forget, however, how she felt when, after reaching the top of the aisle and kissing her Dad as he stepped aside, she turned and looked back as her fiancée walked towards her. Later she would say she felt a calmness, the most blissful calm feeling, descend upon her as if for the first time in a long time, no...in truth the first time in her life she knew for certain that she was exactly where she was supposed to be, doing exactly what she was supposed to do with the one person with whom she should be. She had always been self confident but truly for the first time she was sure.

In that moment Arizona knew she had found her Destiny.

Callie Torres, too, would recall forever one stand out moment in a day filled with magical moments. She was tense, nervous. It was one thing to be the object of everyone's attention in an OR- where she was Queen of her realm, a rock star surgeon. It was entirely another to be the focus of attention outside her comfort zone. The old feelings of insecurity and inadequacy bubbled just below the surface; though she wore a mask of confidence beneath the surface she was still the painfully shy hair chewing geek from High school. It was her inner geek who whispered_ "Don't trip, don't trip" _as she commenced her journey but it was not Mark Sloan's words that soothed her. No it was the sight of her Arizona, turning slightly towards her and the look on her face, that finally put paid to all the fears and butterflies. It wasn't just a look of unadulterated love but of love and faith; a look of belief and sure conviction. It was a look that not even the ubiquitous April could capture but she didn't need to because Callie Torres captured it and never forgot it.

In that moment Callie knew she had found her Haven.

In that moment two beautiful women clad in white found their shared Eternity.

Immediately after their exchanging vows and rings and Bailey pronouncing them wife and wife they had both laughed out loud. However before they walked down the aisle there was some work to be done.

"_Now normally at this point the married couple sign the marriage register. Now we all know that these two remarkable women share a remarkable love. Those of us here present lucky enough to work with Callie and Arizona at Seattle Grace Mercy West, well maybe we know it best of all, because we get to see them express their love for each other every day._.."Bailey thought for a moment before muttering just loud enough so the brides could here but no-one else _"...some of us just wish they wouldn't express their love for each other in supply closets and on call rooms where more innocent general surgeons might happen to interrupt!_

And then for the guests to hear again _"So in our eyes and in their hearts and I believe in the eyes of a God who believes in love, a God who is all about love Callie and Arizona are as married as married can be. Unfortunately our State and most of our country haven't figured out that love is all that matters but one day they will and when that happens I'm quite happy to turn up here and do all this again..."_ and muttering again she said _"...not least cause the buffet looks great!"_ and then for all the guests benefit _"... so in the meantime our Brides are going to sign their domestic partnership papers now and then they'll walk down the aisle and we can get this party started!"_

"_How does it feel to be _my_ wife, Mrs. Torres?" _

"_How does it feel to be my wife and my domestic partner Mrs. Robbins?"_

And the spontaneous giggles erupted from them again.

And as they walked down the aisle, this time hand in hand they sported matching smiles and tried half heartedly to smother the giggling. They were rejuvenated, born again; as happy as either of them could ever remember being.

"_Do it...you know you want to..."_

"_No, I don't...I..." "Yes you do so just do it!" "Calliope, I really don't want to..."_

"_Arizona...from the moment we met you have been making speeches – to me, to Bailey, to our colleagues..." _Callie whispered even lower still in awe at the thought_ "...even to my Dad! So don't tell me that right now you aren't simply itching to speechify so as NIKE says just do it!"_

"_I do not 'speechify'...is that even a word? Wait do you want to say a few words?"_

Out of habit Callie swallowed hard at the mere thought of public speaking as she shook her head vigorously _"No ,oh God no"_

"_So, if I make a speech people will want you to say something too so no, I'm not making a speech" _and then with a look of awe and adoration she continued_ "besides I've already said what I wanted to say today"_

"_Which was?" _Callie asked quizzically

"_I do."_

"_Mmm that might have been your finest and shortest speech ever, Babe"_

And not for the first time since Bailey had married them they leant into each other for a love and passion filled kiss ended only by the need for Oxygen.

"_Honey, I want you to say a few words on our behalf, you know thank the venue and the caterers and our guests and all"_

"_You do?"_ Arizona said with a hopeful smile

"_Yes...and I suppose once you're on your feet if the muse should strike you there'd be no harm if you wanted to make an impromptu..."_

"_Really?"_ Arizona practically squealed in joy and with what some might consider indecent haste was on her feet tapping her champagne flute with her knife looking for attention.

_I don't speechify, my ass _thought Callie in amusement as she sat back to listen to whatever pearls would come from her girlfriends fiancées wife's wondrous mouth.

"_Everyone, I just want to say a few short words on behalf of my wife and I" _she paused and with a smile to Callie and reaching down to grasp her hand continued _" God it feels so great to call you that". _

After the usual thanks to the florist and the photographer (the official one _not_ Kepner) and all the rest Arizona continued

"_today is a really special day for us. Today we got married; today we copper fastened all those vows and promises that we have made to each other in the past, today we just made them official._

_People think that Calliope and I are really different but we're not really. Sure she loves dancing and I have two left feet and she cooks like a five star chef and I burn water..."_ a loud guffaw was heard from Barbara Robbins at that _"...and Callie for some bizarre reason is terrified of public speaking and me...not so much..." _Arizona had the good grace to giggle at herself just as several of the guests nodded and laughed having themselves been witness to the occasional Robbins Rhetoric _"...I try, regardless of how I'm feeling, to wear the same smile and Callie here..."_ Arizona just withdrew her hand from Callie's just long enough to caress her cheek before clasping their hands together tightly again _"...well she wears her heart on her sleeve...if she's sad its written all over her face but when she's happy it's like the whole world knows and has to be happy too"_

The listeners couldn't help but notice that today it was Arizona wearing her heart on her sleeve and were the words she spoke not enough to illustrate the depth of her love then her expression every time she mentioned her wife certainly was.

"_but those are just superficial things...deep down... Callie and I...we are just the same...we believe in loyalty and fidelity and in friendship and love...so today would be a special day if it were just the two of us and a couple of random strangers to witness...but to have all of you here...so many of our friends and family...to share this with us...has made today more than special...you all being here has made today out of this world for us so we both thank you so much"_

Callie just shook her head in awe as her gorgeous wife just spoke off the cuff - if she were not a kickass surgeon she could have a career as an orator.

"_I really should just stop there but...Callie told me I could say a few words for myself too.. so..." _she took a deep breath as emotion threatened to overcome her for a moment

"_Mom and Dad, you continue to be the best parents anyone could wish for, thank you for loving me always...for loving Callie too...although it would be hard not too...and for being awesome grandparents...I love you so, so much. _

_Unfortunately Callie's parents could not be here today but I need to thank them too. They have given me the most beautiful, warm, caring partner anyone could hope to have..."_

Arizona glanced down nervously trying to gauge her bride's reaction before continuing

"_when I first saw Callie's mom, Lucia, I knew instantly that it was from her that Callie inherited her wondrous eyes, her luxurious hair and her shimmering skin...that's also when I realised that when I'm old and grey and wizened my wife will still look like a Goddess._

_When I first saw Callie's Dad, Carlos, I have to say he terrified me just a little but when I got to know him I realised that it was from him that Callie inherited her big heart._

_You don't have to spend long in their company to know just how much Carlos and Lucia love their daughter and I know too she is exactly who they raised her to be so for all of that and more I am grateful.."_

Arizona stole another fretful glance downwards only to be rewarded by a silent mouthed _"thank you"_ as Callie wiped away a solitary escaping tear.

_I also want to thank so many of my colleagues from the hospital...I won't name you individually because that day...those two days you worked as a team. I'm a Doctor, a surgeon, I know the odds...I knew them then...with those injuries... Callie should have..."_

If it were possible her grasp on Callie's hand tightened further still and now it was her own face the tears streamed down _"...the odds of survival weren't great, odds of a full recovery even less so...and the odds against our baby daughter were enormous...but all of you fought for her and your talent and expertise saved them both and... I'm sorry I promised I wouldn't cry...I don't have the words to explain how thankful, how much gratitude I have for all of you, because you saved them and that means you saved me too because without them I..."_

It was not a sentence she could finish

"_I know my wife is anxious to get on the dance floor but I have one last person to thank..."_

Arizona turned away from their guests and concentrated her gaze on her wife as if only the two of them existed

"_Calliope...I told you once that even though I loved you and loved the baby growing inside you, that even though I would always stay that it was not my dream..."_

She shook her head in disbelief _"...I was wrong. Calliope...for choosing me, for loving me, for forgiving me, for Sofia-our little miracle, for making me your wife and her mother, for making my dreams come true thank you..."_

And she pulled a willing Callie to her feet_ "I love you, Calliope Iphigenia Torres"_ and she pulled her into the most passionate kiss of the day so far.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7 .

The guests clapped and whooped and hollered (well the whooping and hollering came mostly from Mark Sloan) and when they ended the kiss Arizona whispered lovingly into Callie's ear _"I guess the dancing can begin now"_

"_Arizona...you are amazing and I love you...but I swear if you let go of my hand in the next few minutes I will divorce you" _the words were spoken with a broad but nervous smile.

"_What? Huh?"_

Callie smiled again_ "Just don't let go no matter what words falls out of my mouth don't let me go"_

And she gently pushed her wife back into her chair and this time it was she who tapped the champagne flute to call for attention:

"_Arizona, my wife Arizona..."_

Pretty much at that point Arizona realised that no matter how amazing it was to call Callie her wife, hearing those same words fall from her beautiful mouth was doubly, if not triply amazing.

"_...is almost always right which is both awesome and extremely annoying at times..."_ the beaming smile accompanying the words made it clear that it wasn't all that annoying "_...so when Arizona said that I'm terrified of public speaking she wasn't wrong. But..." _Callie took a deep steadying breath "_... when Arizona is beside me things always seem that little bit less scary and now with Arizona beside me as my wife well that makes me feel almost invincible. So while Arizona has already thanked most everyone for the both of us there are just a few words I'd like to add."_

Callie looked at Arizona again as if doing so filled her with the courage to continue _"I didn't just acquire a wife today I also gained the most amazing in-laws too. "_

Looking directly at them she continued _"I will never be able to thank you enough for the way you have welcomed me into your family other than by promising to try every day to be the wife that your wonderful, awesome daughter deserves. But for now I just want to thank you both for today. Barbara when I needed my something borrowed you were there...thank you so much. And Colonel, well after today I never again need wonder where my wife gets her wonderful organisational skills from. I know when today began you probably thought that Dr. Bailey was your second in command and with you being a Colonel and all it may not have been all that easy when you realised that in fact she was the boss of you..."_ Arizona held her breath not knowing how 'the Colonel' would take these words while the very distinctive voice of the said Dr, Bailey was heard saying _"Damn straight"_ but she need not have worried when she heard her father's deep chortle fill the room. Callie continued _"...but as your daughter was once briefly Dr. Baileys boss too she'll be able to commiserate with you...I'm pretty sure that the score is Dr. Bailey 2- Robbins Family 0._

Everyone from the hospital laughed at that, Chief Webber loudest of all, he knowing full well that no-one was ever the boss of Miranda Bailey.

"_Miranda Bailey, we have been friends for far longer than we ever realised. And for someone who prides herself in not getting involved in other people's business you have the most amazing gift of being there when it most matters. You have given me too much good advice over the years to mention so for now I'll just thank you for your good counsel today._

_Today is a day of celebration for Arizona and I but I'd like it to be a celebration for everyone so when I'm done I hope everyone will dance till they can dance no more and eat drink and be merry. Celebrating the good times feels like the best possible way to me of remembering the people who can't be here. Working in a hospital as so many of us do we know how quickly things can change, we see illness and death all the time...until it comes to our door we almost become immune to it. It came to our door in a horrible way last year; we lost colleagues, some people here lost their best friends..."_ Callie just caught Jackson Avery's eye as she spoke. _"But everyone_ _here has someone that they've lost at some point so I'd like to just mention two people and then when I'm done I'd like to raise a toast so that we can all remember our own loved ones._

_It might seem a little strange but the person I'm going to remember is my ex-husband, George O'Malley..." _She couldn't help but sneak a glance to gauge Arizona's reaction but she needn't have worried as Arizona gazed back at her with a mixture of love and reverence. In truth all Arizona could wonder at was the size of her wife's heart and her own gratitude for she knew before Callie uttered the words exactly why she was doing this _"...even though we didn't work out as a couple he was my friend and apart from my wife one of the kindest most gentle people I have ever known. And I'm sure that the person Arizona will remember is her brother Timothy who from what I've heard was an amazing brother, son and man...to absent friends"_

As all stood and raised their glasses Arizona embraced her wife whispering over and over_ "thank you, thank you"._ Their embrace was mirrored by that of the Colonel and his wife and no amount of denial would work this time as tears streamed down the marine's face.

As everyone sat again Callie remained standing._ "There really is only one other person I need to thank..." _taking the deepest breath yet and staring at Arizona as if they truly were alone "_Arizona, for so much...for telling me when I was at my lowest point that there would be people lining up for me, and for putting yourself right at the front of the line; for being there when so many of the most important people in my life were not; for coming back and for forgiving me as I forgave you, for staying even when I made it hard without meaning to, for loving me and our daughter, for making all my dreams come true but better than I could have imagined Thank you" _and this time it was she pulling a more than willing Arizona into a most passionate kiss and when they broke apart _"And now I really, really want to dance with my wife so let the dancing begin" _it was more a delighted squeal than anything else.

But then as if in slow motion it happened...Mark Sloan rose to his feet, tapping his champagne glass and saying _"Not so fast ladies..."_ and waving around what looked like a prepared speech and not a short one either _"...there's just one more speech"_

"_Mark, No, sit down" _Calliope practically hissed at him _"you don't get to make a speech at our wedding"_

"_Relax, I am not making a speech, I am reading a speech!"_

"_Ladies, Gentlemen and the rest of you, as most of you already know, I'm Dr. Mark Sloan and..."_ Arizona swore Mark was beaming his best manwhore smile at her cousin from Boise and made a mental note to warn poor Aisling before it was too late...once the horror that was about to unfold was over. This would not be good. _"...and I'm the father of Sofia Robinn Sloan Torres"_ Marks beaming smile broadened as he gave his daughter her full title. A smile that could probably be seen from space. A smile that right now Colonel Daniel Robbins wanted to knock of that man's face were it not for the fact that he was being physically restrained from so doing by his wife.

"_My daughter, who is incredibly advanced for a barely 6 month old, wanted to say a few words at her Mommies wedding, but as she can't actually speak yet, she asked me to speak in her place, because I'm the father" _

He spoke the last words with their usual emphasis while Callie whispered behind gritted teeth and a beaming but very fake smile to her wife _"I am going to kill him!"_

Arizona with a similar smile/grimace merely replied "_Bricks or bare hands?"_

Mark continued with a wink and a smirk in the women's direction

_So this is Sofia's speech, as read by me, her father!" Oh and look she opens with some words for me, I guess that's because I'm the father!"_

What sounded like a low but menacing growl seemed to emanate from Daniel Robbins table. The Brides meanwhile were sinking into a mixture of despair disbelief and fury hidden behind plastered smiles. There only support each other as they each grabbed the others hand and held on for dear life.

Dear Daddy,

Please stop saying "I'm the father", No-one said you weren't. We know, seriously. You've said it so often at this point all of Seattle knows. It's really annoying and it makes you sound a little whiny and needy, so enough already,

Love Sofia.

"_Wow, that's a bit snarky"_ Mark said in a faux hurt tone "_The Sloans and the Robbins are known for their charm so I guess she gets the snark from you Torres"_

Arizona's fake smile was slowly being replaced by a tentative one while Callie just stared at Mark open-mouthed.

Mark made a show of returning to the paper in his hand and went on.

P.S you're the best Daddy in the whole world and very very very handsome.

Afterwards Mark felt people had laughed a little too much at that.

"Dear Mommy,

Boy, you have a lot of names.

Daddy calls you Blondie but I think that's because he knows it annoys you. Mama calls you Arizona. That's nice. When I get bigger can we go there on our holidays?

My god mama Cristina Yang calls you Roller girl because you wear those cool shoes with little wheels on them. Mommy when I learn how to walk will you teach me to wear those shoes too? We don't have to tell Mama, it can be our secret

When we go for walks in the hospital, just me and you, everyone calls you Dr. Robbins. People like you there, some of them really like you, especially all the tiny humans. I think it's because of your super magic smile.

Still, Mommy I'm glad I'm the only one who gets to call you by your real name which is Mommy.

When I was small and in the NICU I heard a really silly story that once upon time a long, long time ago you didn't want any tiny humans of your own because you didn't think you'd be a good Mommy. That's the silliest thing I ever heard because you're the best Mommy in the whole wide world!

I have a story of my own for you. It's about the day I got born. I was just lying there in Mamas tummy and the next thing someone just reached in and scooped me out and I was so scared. There were bright lights and funny loud noises and all these strange voices and strange hands touching me. I was really scared and I didn't know how to breathe so I just held my breath. And then I heard your voice and felt your touch. Remember all those nights after Mama went to sleep and you would rub her belly and talk to me? Well that's how I knew it was you and so I didn't feel scared anymore and I took a breath, my very first.

I think that's why Mama and Daddy say they made me but you saved me.

Thanks for saving me, Mommy

Love Sofia, your tiny human

Well there was barely a dry eye in the house at this point and even Colonel Robbins was looking at Mark in a way that was almost benevolent. Arizona managed to croak out an emotional _"I'm putting away my bricks now"_ to Callie.

"Dear Mama,

I really loved living in your tummy. It was always so cosy and warm there and lots of yummy food too. I especially liked that lumpy green broccoli and asparagus shakes Mommy made for you. You should make them for Mommy and make her drink them, yum, yum!

Callie slightly louder than she intended said _"Yes"_ with an accompanying fist pump while Arizona shook her head vociferously with an accompanying look of horror. Everyone else just looked on in a bemused bewilderment.

Everyone always rubbed your belly and used to tell me how lucky I was because my mama was so beautiful. When I got born I missed being in your tummy but I missed you more because I was sick and so were you. Then one day I was in the NICU and saw the most beautiful Mama in the world looking in at me and I knew it was you,

I'm told I look like you but I don't know if that's true or not...if it is I will be very lucky but I'm already the luckiest baby in the whole world because you're my Mama

Love Sofia

Mark then added "_Sofia added one last paragraph to her speech a few hours ago and after this she would like her Mommies to start the dancing"_

"Dear Mommy and Grandpa Daniel and Grandma Barbara

I almost forgot. Before I lived in Mamas tummy I was in heaven with loads of angels. That's where I met my Uncle Timothy. He wanted me to say how proud he is of Mommy and a little jealous too cause he thinks Mama is a hottie. He hasn't forgotten his promise Mommy so just so you know right now he's up in heaven dancin' so hard and he hopes that everyone here will do the same,

Love Sofia"

And everyone did.


	9. Chapter 9

TITLE: It's a nice day for a White Wedding 9/9

AUTHOR: Neolithicdream

PAIRING: _Callie & Arizona_

RATING: _PG 13_

SUMMARY: My take on some missing scenes from Ep.7.20 before and during the wedding and maybe after. The title simply comes from the Billy Idol song!

A/N At long last the end. Many thanks to all who've taken the trouble to read it. I think I drained every missing scene I could out of episode 7.20...some marriages don't last as long as this fic. Still I'm sure I'll read lots more and wish I'd thought of that!

I've started a kind of sequel (but also a stand aloneish) called Heaven Can Wait which will hopefully be quite short. I also have a 'maybe' plan for a one shot (maybe a two parter) that takes place between this one and the sequel...a prequel to the sequel as it were!

DISCLAIMER: _I do not own Calzona or any of the characters mentioned in this fic. They are the property of Shonda Rhimes/ ABC etc... This fic is purely written for enjoyment and without intent or prospect of profit. No copyright infringement intended._

Chapter 1 .  
>Chapter 2 .<br>Chapter 3 .  
>Chapter 4 . Chapter 5 .<br>Chapter 6 .

(The April Chronicle . )

Chapter 7 .

Chapter 8 .

They were swaying to the music, a favourite song of theirs, their first dance.

"_Arizona, you're practically shaking...what's wrong?"_

The blonde shook her head with a genuine smile _"Nothing, it's...I'm just ..."_ she sighed embarrassedly _"I'm just a bit nervous...I've never done this before"_

"_Arizona..."_Callie looked at her with a furrowed brow _"we've danced like this a zillion times...well not in big fluffy dresses and with April Kepner filming our every move but still..."_

"_I've never danced with my wife before."_

Callie just looked at her with her patented 'one eyebrow raised seriously?' look.

"_It just... it's different..._" Arizona swallowed in yet another failed attempt to clear the boulder sized lump that had taken residence in her throat midway through her own speech and now seemed in no hurry to vacate.

"_It feels new and...it feels like the first time...all of it and it feels good...great but different and..." _she trailed off suddenly feeling very foolish.

Callie rubbed her thumb along Arizona's bare shoulder in a gesture of comfort and in between posing for April Kepners incessant photo taking managed to address her wife _"I love that everyone else gets to see you as this confident Type A know it all but I get to see your inner dork"_

"_I'm your dork, though, only yours" _Arizona smiled back suddenly feeling less nervous.

"_Yes you are and my wife too_" Callie smiled and then said in a hushed almost reverential tone _"I've never danced with my wife before either so this is a first for us both."_ Then as barely a whisper _"and tonight will be another first for us both too"_

"_Like our first time together_"

Callie couldn't help reply _"up until that point that was the best night of my life"_

"_Mine too, babe"_

"_Really?"_ the disbelief evident in her eyes "_even though I was an inexperienced newborn?"_

"_That was the night I knew"_

"_Knew?"_

"_That you were the one...everything changed...I changed...it scared the living daylights out of me...but I knew nothing would ever be the same...you destroyed my comfortable existence that night..."_

"_So you fell in love with me that night?"_ teased Callie, a Callie happier than she had ever been in her entire life, one entirely secure in herself and in her love.

"_Cal, you know that's not when I...I've told you before...don't ..." _Arizona was a smiling blushing hot mess as she danced with her wife.

"_No, you haven't ...when?"_

"_Do you remember our third date, well our official third...?"_

"_Oh, babe, I know it wasn't that date...at La Vie d'Amour...I behaved appallingly...I still don't know why you wanted to see me after that...I..."_

"_Best French restaurant in Seattle and you were totally not there that night...do you remember the next day...you were covering the pit and I stalked you...I had kids on life support and one needing emergency surgery and all I could think of was finding you, figuring it out with you" _Arizona shook her head as she struggled to get closer to her wife.

Callie twirled them around to pose for yet another Kepner photo, internally wondering why April was taking more photos than their official photographer.

"_Seriously, do you think I'd have done that for some chick I kind of liked? Or even really, really liked? _ Arizona shook her head with a beaming smile _"I was already hooked by then-hook, line and sinker"_

"_You were in love with me after two dates?"_

A blushing Arizona was silent.

"_Arizona?"_ try as she might Callie couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice

"_One date...and I have told you this before"_

"_Nope...wow I must be pretty awesome, super-awesome if it only takes one date"_

Arizona good humouredly but gently punched her in the arm and then laughingly, as her embarrassment subsided "_Don't go getting a big head over it...and yeah you are super-awesome, must be why I just married you."_

They danced in time with the music, hands around each other's waist in a contented silence.

"_I hate to say it but there's a flaw in this whole 'two women getting married' thing"_ but Callie could hear the giggles interspersing her wife's words.

"_Really? Do tell Mrs. Torres"_

"_Well Mrs. Robbins" _Arizona snuggled in as tightly as possible to her bride "_two big white fluffy dresses. One is bad enough but with two I just can't get close enough to you, so major flaw!"_

Callie laughed loud enough to capture the attention of most of their guests but then whispered seductively into Arizona's ear _"Honey, in order for me to get as close to you as I want to right now we would both have to be dancing here naked"_

Arizona gulped as the lump in her throat was replaced by a rush of desire and then her inner giggling teenager took over again "_Kepner's camera would explode"_

"_Kepner herself would explode"_ retorted Callie and not for the first time today they both burst into giggles.

Their guests watched, some in envy, others in quiet satisfaction as the two women, so different and yet so compatible, danced and laughed in each other's arms. Few there were unaware of the journey the two had travelled to be here at this moment. A journey at times so sweet and romantic and at times troubled and full of heartbreak. A wondrous but painful journey. Their closest friends including Cristina Yang, Miranda Bailey, Teddy Altman and even Alex Karev knew just how much pain and hurt had been encountered along the way and knowing that made the joyous nature of today all the more real.

The song ended but their dance did not. They had wanted a few slow songs so to give them time to themselves after the ceremony...time to breathe and time to take in what they had just done.

"_How come it took you so long to tell me you loved me?"_

Arizona lay an almost chaste kiss on Callies lips and smiled, an almost sheepish smile _"I loved you and it terrified me...I'd never felt anything like it...I had never loved anyone before...I needed you and I hated needing you because it meant I wasn't in control...and I was trying to cling on for dear life to the remnants of my old safe comfortable life"_

"_You always seemed to be so surefooted and in control...I thought I was the basket case" _Callie shook her head in wonder.

"_I had no idea if you felt anything for me like the way I felt for you, You had had your heartbroken more than once and that can only happen if you've given your all to someone else, I had never done that before so I couldn't tell you in case you couldn't say the words back" _

Callie was silent as they continued to move in tandem with the song but closer now, cheek to cheek, their conversation in whispers, close enough, fluffy white dresses or not for each to feel and almost hear the others heartbeat.

"_I was crazy about you from the moment you kissed me in Joes but I wouldn't let myself fall in love with you. I couldn't imagine someone like you, someone so perfect, wanting to be with someone like me, I kept waiting for you to figure out that I wasn't what you wanted so I tried not to fall but it was you so I did anyway"_

"_When did you know you loved me then?"_

"_The moment you said the words that's when I __knew__ I loved you too but I had only been fooling myself before. I was never not going to love you...I think you had me at 'Ortho, right' that night in Joes" _they both smiled at the memory_ "but you probably won't even remember this but the morning my Dad came to Seattle we met on the stairwell, I was just starting my shift and you had been there since early morning and you.."_

"_I kissed you"_

"_You did, and it was just a sweet gentle 'good morning' kiss but I remember thinking I never wanted to have a morning again without one of those kisses. That's when I fell in love with you"_

"_Callie, why were we so scared of this?" _Arizona rested her head in the crook of her wife's neck _"Why were we so stupid, we almost lost, we did lose each other, why was I so scared, everything babies, Malawi...all because I was scared stupid"_

Callie put her hand to Arizona's chin forcing her to meet her gaze _"No tears, no more tears and we were both stupid and scared because this..."_ gesturing between them _" this kind of love is scary, all consuming, all powerful, never-ending love but we never lost each other, honey, we lost our way for a little while sure, we seriously veered off course for a while but we never once stopped loving each other, we couldn't because we're in each other's hearts and we never will stop. Me and you are forever."_

There was a brief but contented silence and as their dance came to an end Arizona couldn't help herself, giggling once again as if her happiness could not be kept at bay for long

"_Gee, Calliope, when did you learn to make a speech like that?"_

"_Well, I'm a Robbins now; I think it comes with the territory"_

And later they danced hard, so hard, in memory of Arizona's brother but also because they could and they wanted to and so did their guests. They mixed and mingled seldom letting each other go, chatting and giggling to their guests and to each other. Jokingly saying that if she liked taking pictures so much April should have been a radiographer and later not so jokingly telling her enough was enough, seriously.

They cut the cake, only slightly perturbed that someone else appeared to have got there first; they laughed at the antics of their guests not least the sight of Bailey pulling an eager Eli off into the wooded area for a not so secret tryst. Arizona laughed less at the sight of her somewhat dishevelled looking cousin from Boise emerging from the same wooded area with Mark Sloan not far behind, her only thought _"Oh no Aisling, he got to you too?"_

They danced some more, with each other, with friends and with their fathers and father-in-laws. Arizona thanking Carlos over and over again for everything; for his daughter, for his acceptance, for his coming back. He nodded and simply thanked her too for coming back and making his little girl so happy. He asked too that she keep an open mind (and heart) just in case one day his wife changed her mind.

And then little short of midnight after bidding their guests goodbye they made it to their suite and after a brief Kepner inspired panic they were alone.

They stood there in the middle of their large bridal suite staring at each other for what seemed an age. The air was thick with their longing and yes, nerves, for while they had been together for a couple of years now and made love countless times and countless ways this was different, this was their second first time but this time they would be together as wife and wife.

Callie knew too there was something she needed to tell her wife; she had convinced herself that she didn't need to know but, while that was true, Callie needed to tell her anyway. In the aftermath of the accident they had a lot of time to talk; Callie not capable of much else and Arizona too guilt ridden to even contemplate anything. So they had talked and talked and they realised that had they talked before, really talked, they could have avoided so much of their heartache. So they vowed, while Callie lay recovering, that there would be no more secrets between them.

"_Today was the greatest, the happiest day of my life"_

Arizona approached Callie with a lascivious beam _"Mine too"_

"_There's something I have to tell you and you're going to be angry and upset and..."_

"_No. nothing you can tell me will make me angry at you...not today, not tonight"_ Arizona reached out and pulled Callie towards her.

"_You will, but please remember that I married you and that I never doubted us today that's not what happened, please Arizona don't be upset..."_

"_Callie, just tell me and I won't..."_

"_I cancelled the wedding!"_

Arizona giggled in response_ "Ah no, unless the last seven hours has been a mirage you didn't"_

"_I did, when Mark told me the priest was gone and...I couldn't tell you on the phone so I sent Mark to get you and..."_

"_Mark said nothing to me" _Arizona said with a semi frown.

"_But instead he sent Bailey and she talked sense into me and I'm really sorry, I just...forgot that it was just you and me and nothing else should matter for a while...and"_ Callie was nearly in tears.

"_Calliope, stop, its okay" _Arizona laughed wholeheartedly.

"_Why are you laughing, this is not a laughing matter you should be angry and I cancelled our wedding!"_

"_I know you Calliope and if you really wanted to cancel our wedding I would not be standing here looking at my wife right now. I'd probably have reacted the same way...if anyone had bothered to tell me that our entire wedding plan had fallen apart...but our wedding happened and We. Are. Married. And now I'd like to consummate our marriage."_

Tears gone and a broad grin on her face Callie said _"I want to rip that beautiful dress off you right now"_

"_I'll do the ripping, my beautiful wife"._

And it was the perfect end to a perfect day for a White Wedding.


End file.
